Apparatus for installing and removing flow control devices from a mandrel having one or more pockets

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for installing and removing valves from a mandrel having one or more valve pockets. The apparatus or kickover tool coacts with the mandrel for orientation and includes a shifting tool supporting a flow handling device which includes a plurality of connections for supporting running or pulling tools. The connections are spaced for alignment with one or more valve receiving pockets. The apparatus may selectively or simultaneously install and remove various types of flow control devices into and from one or more of the valve pockets.

United States Patent 1191 Tausch June 17, 1975 APPARATUS FOR INSTALLING AND 3.312.283 4/1967 Yetman 166/156 3.610.336 10 1971 Sizer 166/156 REMOVING FLOW CONTROL DEVICES 3.732.928 5/1973 Sizer 166/156 FROM A MANDREL HAVING ONE OR MORE POCKETS [75] Inventor: Gilbert H. Tausch, Houston. Tex.

[73] Assignees: Perry R. Bass, Inc.; Sid W.

Richardson Foundation, both of Fort Worth, Texv part interest to each [22] Filed: Jan. 28, 1974 [21 Appl. NO.. 437,236

[52] US. Cl 166/1175; 166/156 [51] Int. Cl E2lb 7/06 [58] Field of Search 166/1 17.5, 117.6, 154, 166/156 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3.2681106 8/1966 Hayes 166/1175 Primary Examiner.lames A. Leppink Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Fulbright & .laworski [57] ABSTRACT An apparatus for installing and removing valves from a mandrel having one or more valve pockets. The apparatus or kickover tool coacts with the mandrel for orientation and includes a shifting tool supporting a flow handling device which includes a plurality of connections for supporting running or pulling tools. The connections are spaced for alignment with one or more valve receiving pockets. The apparatus may selectively or simultaneously install and remove various types of flow control devices into and from one or more of the valve pockets.

5 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures 1 APPARATUS FOR INSTALLING AND REMOVING FLOW CONTROL DEVICES FROM A MANDREL HAVING ONE OR MORE POCKETS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Copending patent application entitled Multiple Valve Pocket Mandrel and Apparatus for Installing and Removing Flow Control Devices Therefrom, Ser. No. 423,923, filed Dec. 12, 1973, discloses a multiple valve pocket mandrel and a kickover tool for selectively installing and removing various types of flow control devices into and from one of the valve pockets. However, the kickover tool of that invention is required to make a separate downhole and uphole trip each time a valve is to be installed or removed since the tool handles only a single valve.

The present invention is directed to an improved apparatus or kickover tool having means for running and pulling flow control devices selectively or simultaneously. In addition, the present kickover tool may be utilized in either a single valve pocket mandrel or a multiple valve pocket mandrel thereby avoiding stock piling a multiple of different types of kickover tools.

SUMMARY The present invention is directed to an apparatus for installing or removing flow control devices from a single valve pocket mandrel or a multiple valve pocket mandrel.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of an apparatus for installing and removing flow control devices selectively or simultaneously from one or more of a plurality of sidepockets.

A further object of the present invention is the improvement in a flow control handling apparatus which is used for placing a flow control device in or removing a flow control device from a well mandrel having a plurality of flow control pockets in which the apparatus includes orienting means coacting with the mandrel, a shifting tool pivotally supported from a support body, a flow control handling device connected to the shifting tool wherein the flow control handling device includes a plurality of connections for supporting flow control device running and pulling tools. The plurality of connections may include a connection axially aligned with the flow control handling device for running and pulling valves in a single pocket mandrel. The connections may include two connections spaced from each other and positioned offset from the longitudinal axis of the flow control handling device for selectively or simultaneously running and pulling valves from a multiplex pocket mandrel.

Other and further objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partly in cross section, illustrating the apparatus of the present invention in position for installing two valves simultaneously into a mandrel having two sidepockets,

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view, partly in cross section, illustrating the position of the actuating parts of the present invention prior to kicking over the apparatus,

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4,

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 66 of FIG. 4, and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the flow control handling device of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, in particular to FIGS. 1 and 3, a well tubing 10 is shown having connected thereto a mandrel 12 having upper 14 and lower 16 threaded connections for connection in the well tubing 10. The mandrel 12 includes a main bore 18 therethrough generally having the same size and aligned with the bore of the well tubing 10, and further includes a plurality of sidepockets, here shown as sidepockets 20 and 22 which are cylindrical bores whose axes are offset from the main bore 18 for receiving various types of flow control units such as a conventional gas lift valve 24 (FIG. 1) therein. The valve pockets 20 and 22 may be provided with a plurality of ports for conducting various types of downhole operations. For example, ports 28, 30 may be provided from the sidepockets 22 and 20, respectively, to a point exterior of the mandrel. Port means 32 and 34 are provided extending between the sidepockets 22 and 20, respectively, and the open bore 18. Interconnecting port means 36 is provided between the valve pockets 20 and 22, and ports 42 and 44 may be provided leading from the bottom of the pockets 22 and 20, respectively, to the interior of the mandrel 12. All of the foregoing are more fully described in copending patent application Ser. No. 423,923.

In addition, an apparatus, generally referred to as a kickover tool, and generally indicated by the reference numeral 26 is provided for installing or removing flow control devices into or from the sidepockets 20 and 22. The present invention is directed to the apparatus 26 for installing or removing one or more flow control devices, either selectively or simultaneously from the sidepockets 20 and 22 or for removing and installing a flow control device in a conventional mandrel having a single sidepocket (not shown). Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, a guide sleeve 60 is provided positioned aligned with the main bore 18 of the mandrel l2 and preferably positioned above the sidepockets 20 and 22. The guide sleeve includes a longitudinal guide slot 62, a helical guide surface 63 positioned below the slot 62 and directed inwardly and upwardly toward the bottom of the slot 62 for guiding and orienting a key upwardly and into the slot 62, and an actuating shoulder 64 positioned at the top of the slot 62 for actuating the flow control device handling apparatus 26. The slot 62 is radially spaced from the aixs of the offset pockets 20 and 22 a predetermined amount for rotating and orienting the handling apparatus 26 relative to the pockets 20 and 22 for installing or removing a flow control device therefrom.

The flow control handling apparatus 26 generally includes a support body generally indicated by the reference numeral 70, a shifting arm 72 which is pivotally supported from the support body by a pivot 71, a flow control device handling support 74 which is pivotally carried by the shifting arm 72 about pivot 73, and

an elongate guide case 76, and a longitudinally movable body generally indicated by the numeral 78 and carried by the support body 70. The movable body 78 includes portions 79 and 81. The support body 70 includes any suitable means for moving the apparatus 26 through the tubing and mandrel 12, such as a hydraulic pump, or as shown, for example, only, a connection 80 for attachment to a wireline. An orienting key 82 is pivotally connected to the movable support body portion 79 at its lower end by a shear pin 84. The support body 70 may also include an outer case 86 enclosing the movable body 78 and having an opening or window 88 through which the orienting key 82 is yieldably urged outwardly by a spring 90. The key 82 is yieldably urged outwardly at all times but because of the downwardly facing tapering face 92 is radially passed downwardly over protruding shoulders inside of the well tubing 10 and mandrel 12. The key 82 also includes an upwardly directed actuating shoulder 94 which, when the key is below the guide surface 63, will contact the surface 63 thereby rotating and aligning the flow control handling apparatus 26 in the well bore as the key 82 moves along the guide surface 63 and into the longitudinal guide slot 62 and into engagement with the actuating shoulder 64 thereby stopping further upward movement of the movable body 78. Suitable engaging means, such as shoulder 96, is connected to the lower end of the second part 81 of the movable body for engaging a portion of the shifting arm such as pin 98, when the movable body 81 is initially in an upward position, to keep the arm 72 initially aligned within the guide case 76 and thus aligned with the main bore 18 in the well tubing 10 as the apparatus 26 is initially moved down the well bore. However, when the apparatus 26 is moved into the mandrel 12 in which it is desired to install or remove a flow control device, and as best seen in FIG. 4, when the orienting key is moved upwardly into the guide slot 64 and the key shoulder 94 engages the actuating shoulder 64 further upward movement of the movable body 78 is prevented. However, further upward movement of the support body 70 will disengage the releasable connection between shoulder 96 and pin 98 as the pin 98 moves upwardly past the shoulder 96 allowing the shifting arm 72 to be actuated, rotated about pin 71 and shifted laterally over a sidepocket as a spring 100 acts between the inside of the guide case 76 and the shifting arm 72 to shift the shifting tool 72 and the valve handling support 74 over and above the sidepocket as more fully described in US. Pat. No. 3,788,397. The spring 100 is preferably a leaf spring, one end of which is preferably secured to a spring hinge 101 which in turn is supported about a pivot pin 102 on the shifting arm 72. The second end of the hinge 101 is secured from movement by a shear pin 104 connected to the shifting arm 72. Thus, the shear pin 104 holds the spring 100 under compression so that when the shoulder 96 and pin 98 are disengaged, the kickover spring 100 may laterally move the shifting arm 72 over the sidepockets. At this point, the valve handling support 74 is still aligned with the shifting tool 72. However, when the valve is inserted into a sidepocket, and a downward jar is taken on the apparatus 26, the valve handling support 74 will rotate about its pivot support 73 from the shifting arm 72. The valve handling support 74 includes a shoulder 106 which is positioned in engagement with the hinge 101 and the shear pin 104. When the valve handling support 74 pivots about the pivot pin 73, the shoulder 106 will shear pin 104 thereby freeing the spring hinge 101 to rotate about pin 102 and release the compressive force in the spring 100.

Further downward movement of the apparatus 26 moves the flow control device 24 into a valve seat and further downward movement or jarring of the apparatus 26 seats the flow control device 24 in a pocket and disconnects the running adapter 74 from the flow control device 24. Of course, the apparatus 26 may, by similar operation using a pulling adapter in place of the running adapter 74, remove a flow control device 24 from the sidepocket. The above description of the kickover tool is generally described in US. Pat. No. 3,788,397.

However, the described kickover tool normally functions to retrieve a valve from a mandrel having a single pocket or as described in patent application Ser. No. 423,923 selectively installs or removes a single flow valve from a selected one of the sidepockets 20 or 22. The present device is an improved apparatus for simultaneously or selectively installing or removing a flow control device from either or both of the pockets 20 and 22 of the mandrel 12. Referring now to FIG. 6, the valve handling support 74 is provided with a plurality of connections, such as threaded holes 110, 112 and 114 for supporting flow control device running and pulling tools. Preferably, the valve handling support 74 includes the connections 110 and 114 which are positioned offset from the longitudinal axis of the flow handling support 74 and spaced for alignment with the sidepockets 20 and 22 for simultaneously installing, as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, valves 24 into the pockets 20 and 22. The connections 110 and 114 support the valves 24, as best seen in dotted outline in FIG. 3, so that when the valve handling apparatus 26 is aligned in the orienting sleeve 60 the valves 24 will be oriented for being kicked over the pockets 20 and 22 for installation or removal therefrom as best seen in FIG. 1. However, the apparatus 26 may be made more versatile and be useful for installing or removing a flow control valve from a conventional single sidepocket mandrel by placing a third connection 112 axially aligned with the flow control device 74 for coacting with the pocket of a conventional single pocket mandrel. With the three connections 110, 112 and 114, the tool 26 could be used for a plurality of operations and avoid the problem of having to stock a different supply of kickover tools for the various types of mandrels. It is to be understood that while flow control devices may be simultaneously removed and installed from the pockets 20 and 22, a single flow control device may be installed or removed by utilizing only one of the connections 110 or 1 14 depending upon the pocket being worked.

Once flow control devices have been installed or removed in the pocket 20 or 22, the apparatus 26 may be retracted upwardly, that is, the key 82 is raised in the mandrel 12, the shoulder 94 will again engage the shoulder 64 in the sleeve 60 and the tool 26 can be jarred upwardly shearing shear pin which has a lower shear point than the emergency shear pin 84. With the shear pin 105 sheared, the support body 70 may be moved upwardly relative to the movable body 78 against the action of the resetting spring 108. It is also noted that the support body 70 has a retracting shoulder which will engage the tapered surface 92 on the key 82 on upward movement of the support body 70 relative to the first part 79 of the movable body 78 thereby retracting the key 82 into the interior of the case 86 whereby the apparatus 26 may be moved uphole. The above description of the operation of the flow handling device 26 is more fully described in copending US. Pat. No. 3,788,397.

The present invention, therefore, is well adapted to carry out the objects and attain the ends and advantages mentioned as well as others inherent therein. While a presently preferred embodiment of the invention is given for the purpose of disclosure, numerous changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made which will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and which are encompassed within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a flow control handling apparatus adapted for use in placing a flow control device in or removing a flow control device from a well mandrel having a plurality of flow control device receiving pockets which are positioned side by side to each other and including an orientation sleeve having a longitudinal orientation slot positioned in a predetermined radially spaced relationship relative to said pockets, said apparatus including a support body, an orientation key pivotally connected to the body for engagement with the orientation slot. a shifting arm pivotally supported from the support body, the improvement comprising,

a flow control handling device connected to the shifting arm, said flow control handling device including a plurality of vertically directed connections which are positioned side by side to each other for supporting flow control device running and pulling tools, said connections spaced for alignment with the plurality of receiving pockets.

2. A flow control handling apparatus adapted for use in placing a flow control device in or removing a flow control device from a well mandrel having one or more flow control device receiving pockets and including an orientation sleeve having a longitudinal orientation slot positioned in a predetermined radially spaced relationship to said pockets comprising,

a support body adapted to be used in the mandrel,

a movable body carried by and longitudinally movable relative to the support body,

an orientation key pivotally connected to the movable body,

a shifting arm pivotally supported from the support body,

releasing means on said movable body initially holding the shifting arm aligned in the bore but releasable on movement of the movable body relative to the support body,

shifting means connected to the shifting arm for shifting the shifting arm into the selected sidepocket when the releasing means is released, and

a flow control handling device connected to said shifting arm, said handling device including a plurality of connections for supporting flow control device running and pulling tools.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein one of the connections is axially aligned with the flow control handling device.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein two of the connections are spaced from each other and positioned offset from the longitudinal axis of the flow control handling device.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 including two connections positioned offset from the longitudinal axis of the flow control handling device. 

1. In a flow control handling apparatus adapted for use in placing a flow control device in or removing a flow control device from a well mandrel having a plurality of flow control device receiving pockets which are positioned side by side to each other and including an orientation sleeve having a longitudinal orientation slot positioned in a predetermined radially spaced relationship relative to said pockets, said apparatus including a support body, an orientation key pivotally connected to the body for engagement with the orientation slot, a shifting arm pivotallY supported from the support body, the improvement comprising, a flow control handling device connected to the shifting arm, said flow control handling device including a plurality of vertically directed connections which are positioned side by side to each other for supporting flow control device running and pulling tools, said connections spaced for alignment with the plurality of receiving pockets.
 2. A flow control handling apparatus adapted for use in placing a flow control device in or removing a flow control device from a well mandrel having one or more flow control device receiving pockets and including an orientation sleeve having a longitudinal orientation slot positioned in a predetermined radially spaced relationship to said pockets comprising, a support body adapted to be used in the mandrel, a movable body carried by and longitudinally movable relative to the support body, an orientation key pivotally connected to the movable body, a shifting arm pivotally supported from the support body, releasing means on said movable body initially holding the shifting arm aligned in the bore but releasable on movement of the movable body relative to the support body, shifting means connected to the shifting arm for shifting the shifting arm into the selected sidepocket when the releasing means is released, and a flow control handling device connected to said shifting arm, said handling device including a plurality of connections for supporting flow control device running and pulling tools.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein one of the connections is axially aligned with the flow control handling device.
 4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein two of the connections are spaced from each other and positioned offset from the longitudinal axis of the flow control handling device.
 5. The apparatus of claim 3 including two connections positioned offset from the longitudinal axis of the flow control handling device. 